May
6
2013
A recent customer of Steam It Gone informed me that he was suffering from Solar Urticaria. I had never heard of the disease. Upon reading about it on Wikipedia, I was shocked to hear that over 100 cases have been identified since its discovery in 1904. That’s not very many people. What are the chances that I would meet someone who has this disease?
Basically, having this disease means being allergic to the sun, and for this man, even light bulbs. My insightful daughter pointed out to me that we naturally have an allergic reaction to the sun because our body needs to tell us when we are being overexposed to light. So it seems this disease happens when the mechanisms in our body that tell us we are getting too much sun go haywire. Or at least that is my unscientific guess.
This individual believes his condition was caused by a drug that was prescribed to him.
I find this fascinating for so many reasons. First, whenever our bodies betray us, I want to know why and what I can do to prevent it from happening. Second, if in fact it was due to a bad reaction to a drug, I want to know what the CDC and the FDA are doing about it. This is becoming even more relevant as I learned recently that the rampant overuse of Amoxicillin and other antibiotics of that generation caused these staple antibiotics to be rendered ineffectual. As a result, some newly approved antibiotics are now causing strange, extreme and prolonged side effects.
I needed to get antibiotics for a minor infection and the doctor warned me never to take cipro. He said it has been found to cause depression and that he was in the process of writing a paper about it. What is strange is that my friend told me that her brother, a professional football player, started to show signs of anxiety and depression and the onset was after he took cipro for an infection. The antibiotic my doctor prescribed to me- the safe one- causes arthritis for up to six months and I experienced those arthritic pains first hand (no pun intended).
For those who are wondering what this has to do with steam, disinfecting or carpet cleaning, my point is merely that there are a lot of new products out there that are approved and packaged for your consumption that are created in laboratories and come with known or unknown side effects. It is important to be cautious and skeptical of these newfangled chemicals because some of the side effects are irreversible.
I hope that our readers and customers will be safe and cautious. Your life and health are precious.
Oct
30
2012
I found out recently that 120 is where we humans max out in terms of age. Well, this number is 10 years more than I had expected and that makes me so happy. I plan on living for as long as I possibly can but I don’t want to be in a walker when I’m 119. How, you may ask, do I plan on being in optimal health for that long? There are a few things I plan on doing to increase my chances of hitting the big 120.
1) I am going to watch my dad like a hawk. He is 77 and is in amazing shape. I know that there is a wealth of information that he can teach me.
2) I plan on listening to people who spend all their time learning how to age well.
3) Drinking vegetable juice! I am only slightly ambivalent about this piece. I do feel that some of us in the first world use up so much more resources than others on this planet. A part of me does feel that juicing a basket of vegetables that can feed a small family to produce a lovely 10 oz cup of pure goodness is a bit much. But at the same time, I also know know what happens to my skin after I have been juicing regularly and the results are phenomenal.
This is my recipe for a healthy long life. You may copy me if you wish.
Oct
30
2012
I recently met Martha Matsuda through a mutual friend who recognized that our businesses have a natural affinity. Guerrilla Organics was started in 2002 to provide affordable organic vegetables and deliver them to your door. Of course I love this idea. Steam It Gone believes in delivering to your door as well. No matter how clean your home is, it will not do a bit of good if your true temple (your body) is not also clean.
So for those of you who do not have the time to shop for organic, fresh vegetables that are in season, now you have no excuse! Don’t wait to take better care of yourself.
Sep
11
2012
I am always eager to hear about new uses for the dry-vapor cleaners we offer. Many of our customers will enthusiastically tell me what they used it on and any surprising effects and it makes my day to hear their discoveries. Recently, I had a customer tell me that she rented the machine for pest control and was surprised to find that the steam changed the energy in her home.
This customer is an expert on working with energy. Yohanna, who specializes in improving the energy of any given space through art writes on her blog, “ I was totally blown away by the energetic effect of steam cleaning! The apartment felt so much lighter… I have been sleeping better, and feel clearer and lighter when I’m working at home.”
I certainly was not expecting this type of endorsement but I have to say it makes sense to me. Even if you are not the kind of person who uses “energy” in any other sense then to mean the various forms of energy that fuel our cars and light bulbs, there is a perfectly scientific explanation for this change: Steam It Gone’s powerful dry vapor machines reach deep down into the pores of every surface it cleans. An amazing example is when someone was able to get an oil stain out of their marble counter. How does oil stain a marble counter? It seeps into the pores. How do you get it out? In the past, you just didn’t. All the soupy water in the world could not save you. The Ladybug XL2300 w TANCS, the machine we rent, is able to get the oil out by reaching into the pores and pulling the oil out like a magnet.
The point is, when you clean deep into the pores removing the debris left behind, sometimes by other people, your space is bound to feel cleaner and lighter.
I am greatful to Yohanna for teaching me yet another use for our machines for healthier living. If you are interested in changing the feel of your home or work space, consider consulting with Yohanna. You can find beautiful examples of her work on her website: http://www.paintingsacredspaces.com/
